9 Jul
Submissions open
Nominations open across all 33 award categories.
Presented by
Awards 2026
Australia's most comprehensive recognition program for AI innovation. From ASX enterprises to agile start-ups, this awards program honours the people and projects pushing AI forward across 33 categories.
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Submissions close Friday, 7 August 2026
About the Awards
Recognising the leaders shaping Australia's AI future
Celebrating excellence across the entire Australian AI ecosystem
AI is reshaping every industry from finance and healthcare to defence and energy. Behind this transformation are the researchers, engineers, founders, and leaders building AI solutions that deliver real, measurable impact. The Australian AI Awards program exists to recognise them.
First launched in 2024, the awards have quickly become the definitive national benchmark for AI excellence. In 2026, the program returns for its third iteration, bigger, broader, and more ambitious than ever, with 33 categories spanning individual achievement, group innovation, and enterprise leadership.
Winners are chosen by an independent panel of AI experts drawn from industry, academia, and government. Finalists and winners gain national media coverage, profile among peers, and recognition that drives careers and businesses forward.
Key Dates
2026 awards calendar
7 Aug
Submissions close
Final deadline for all nominations. Late entries cannot be accepted.
Contact Shona on 0480 841 122 or email Shona for more information.
10 Sep
Finalists announced
Shortlisted finalists revealed on AI Daily.
30 Oct
Awards gala
Black-tie ceremony at Hyatt Regency, Sydney.
Why enter the awards
Build a reputation that precedes you.
An Australian AI Award signals to your board, investors, clients, and peers that your work meets the highest national standard. It commands attention at every conversation that follows, from funding rounds to board presentations.
Earn national recognition on your terms.
AI Daily provides winners and finalists with professional media coverage, executive profile interviews, and promotional assets for LinkedIn, company intranets, and industry events. The visibility lasts well beyond the gala.
Benchmark your innovation against the nation's best.
The submission process itself is an exercise in strategic clarity: articulating your AI achievements, quantifying impact, and measuring your work against an independent, expert-judged framework. Past entrants tell us this alone is worth the effort.
Awards by the numbers
The scale of recognition
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award categories covering every discipline and level of AI innovation
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leaders, founders, researchers, and executives at the black-tie gala
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recognition reaching ASX boardrooms, start-ups, universities, and government
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annual awards program – established as the AI profession's definitive accolade
Timeline
Your path to recognition
Thursday, 9 July
Open
Submissions launch
Friday, 7 August
Close
Submissions due
Aug–Sep
Judging
Expert panel review
Thursday, 10 September
Finalists
Shortlist revealed
Friday, 30 October
Gala
Winners crowned
The experience
A night that changes careers
The venue
A setting matching the calibre of the industry it celebrates: the Hyatt Regency, Sydney, with panoramic views across Darling Harbour.
The network
300+ AI leaders, founders, researchers, and executives in one room. The only event convening the AI profession at this level.
The ceremony
A professionally produced awards presentation with a three-course dinner, premium wines, and live entertainment, culminating in 33 category winners.
The experience
“Winning AI Leader of the Year was a career-defining moment. The recognition from AI Daily and the broader industry created conversations I couldn't have initiated otherwise with my board, investors, and leaders across the profession.”
ASX 50 technology enterprise
